I'm a member of a committee charged with organizing public forums to be sponsored by the LaPesc (Lafayette Public Education Stakeholders Council) on September 7, 8 & 9. We're currently formulating a list of questions to be posed to the 13 candidates seeking office in those districts which are being contested. A series of community conversations about public education has been conducted by the United Way of Acadiana and will serve as the basis for the forum questions.

Your Chamber is a charter member of LaPesc.

On another political front, Chamber head Rob Guidry has spearheaded the formation of a political action committee. EmpowerPAC conducted its organizational meeting last week and will play an active role in the upcoming school board elections.

EmpowerPAC is an entirely separate organization from the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, but generally aligns itself behind those candidates that are supportive of the Chamber's positions. School Board candidates will be interviewed and decisions to either provide financial support and/or an endorsement in the district races will be reached only after rigorous examination by the EmpowerPAC Board of Directors.

The Lafayette Charter Commission conducted its third meeting last week. I'm one of nine studying the existing Lafayette City-parish government to determine if any and what changes are needed for the governing of our future. We must report our findings no later than April of 2011.

And, finally, last week, Chamber staff moved back into its "new” office space. That completes the first phase of our renovation; and it's good to be back to almost normal business operations. Phase two is well underway with the restrooms, boardroom and kitchen gutted and construction on the "back side” of our office is well underway.

Mark your calendars: we will have an open house and ribbon cutting of our "renovated offices” during Chamber Week, scheduled for the week of September 20 thru 24.